We didn’t give ASUU ultimatum – Jonathan

We didn’t give ASUU ultimatum –
Jonathan
on november 30, 2013 at 8:01 pm in news
By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa
President Goodluck Jonathan has weekend, said his
government did not give the Academic Staff Union
of Universities, ASUU, an ultimatum to resume work
or be sacked.
Fielding questions from newsmen at the expanded
caucus meeting of the Bayelsa State Peoples
Democratic Party held  at Government House,
Yenagoa,  the President said, the Supervising
Minister of Education only passed on the decision of
the Committee of Vice Chancellors.
“We didn’t give them ultimatum; it was the
Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that
decision. The Supervising Minister of Education only
passed on the decision.”
Jonathan also said the strike embarked upon by the
ASUU  was no longer a trade dispute , but a
subversive action.
Jonathan
He said, “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade
union. I have intervened in other labour issues
before now, once I invite them they respond and
after the meeting they take decision and call off the
strike.
“At times we don’t even give them a long
notice,unlike, in the case of ASUU that was given
four days notice before the meeting. As you are
meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the
trade unions to get their officials ready.
“What was expected having met with the highest
authorities in the land for long hours, was for ASUU
to immediately issue statement within 12 or latest
24 hours , to state their position whether they were
accepting government’s offer or not. And if they are
not accepting they should state the reason for that.”
“But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting
with ASUU in my political history, we did not start
that meeting until around 2:00pm and the meeting
ended the next day in the early hours.  As far as the
government of Nigeria was concerned, all the
critical people that should be in a meeting were
there, so what else do they want?
“After that they didn’t meet until one week, despite
the fact that you met with the highest authority. It
was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.
“The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows
they are extreme and when Iyayi died, they now
said the strike was now indefinite, our children have
been at home for over five months.”